The Meaning Behind – Jack-O-Lantern
Here it is...Halloween. There is a lot of scary, candy eating things to happen on this Hallows Eve but what does the famous Jack-O-Lantern really have to do with it all?
It actually came from Ireland where an old Irish legend tells of a guy named Jack who drank too much liquor at a local pub on Halloween.
The more drinks he consumed the more his life was slipping away. As legend states, Jack stumbled home and the Devil demanded that he come to Hell with him because of his evil ways. Jack told the Devil he'd come with him if the Devil would first climb a nearby tree to pluck him an apple. As the Devil climbed the tree, Jack carved a cross in the tree's trunk-preventing the Devil from coming back down. Apparently the Devil demanded that Jack release him but first Jack made him promise that when he died the Devil would not claim his soul. The Devil agreed and Jack set him free.
On the following All Hallow's Eve Jack died from drinking too much. He wasn't allowed to go into heaven because of his evil ways and when he tried hell, the Devil wouldn't let him in there either because of the deal they made. Jack really needed a resting place.
The Devil gave him a lit piece of coal to help him on his way. Jack, who was munching down on a turnip at the time placed the coal inside the turnip and used it as a lantern to light his way through the dark night. Since then, Jack has been roaming the world with his jack o'lantern looking for a place to rest.
The Irish at first used carved out potatoes, beets, or turnips as lanterns. Pumpkins were not used until Irish immigrants came to America and realized that these big orange squashes were cheaper than beets or turnips.